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The Meaning of the logos

Certification logos are much more than simple visual elements: they represent, at a glance, the result of a rigorous assessment process. 
However, their value depends entirely on who issues them. 
Only logos delivered by independent certification bodies, such as TÜV AUSTRIA OKcert, can guarantee a credible and impartial evaluation.

These organisations assess products against defined standards through testing, analysis, and third-party verification. 
This independence is essential to ensure the reliability of environmental claims and to avoid misleading or self-declared labels.

For authorities and industry,  such logos strengthen credibility; for citizens, they provide a trustworthy reference to make informed decisions with confidence

OK compost INDUSTRIAL

This logo indicates that the product bearing it is certified as compostable in an industrial composting facility (door-to-door collection or drop-off point).
It is owned and managed by TÜV AUSTRIA OKcert.

Note

  1. This is not a sorting instruction. 
    Always check with your local waste collection authority. 
  2. A product certified for industrial composting will not necessarily break down when composted at home.

More about the difference between home and industrial composting

Seedling logo

This logo indicates that the product bearing it is certified as compostable in an industrial composting facility (door-to-door collection or drop-off point).
Owned by European Bioplastics, TÜV AUSTRIA OKcert is responsible for assessment and certification.

Note

  1. This is not a sorting instruction. 
    Always check with your local waste collection authority. 
  2. A product certified for industrial composting will not necessarily break down when composted at home.

More about the difference between home and industrial composting

OK compost HOME

This logo indicates that the product is certified as compostable at home.
It is owned and managed by TÜV AUSTRIA OKcert.

Note

  1. home composting does not mean simply dumping your organic waste at the bottom of your garden.
  2. Home compositng does require (a little) effort.
  3. A product certified for industrial composting will not necessarily break down when composted at home.

What is the difference between home and industrial composting ? 

Home and industrial composting are based on the same principles : the transformation of the material into CO2, water, and biomass by micro-organisms.
But the conditions are different.

Learn more

OK biodegradable 
SOIL

This logo indicates that the product is certified to be biodegradable in soil.
It is owned and managed by TÜV AUSTRIA OKcert.

Certified products will biodegrade in soil and break down within a timeframe that depends mainly on their function.

Please note: certification is not a licence to dispose of waste in the natural environment.

OK biodegradable 
WATER

This logo indicates that the product is certified to be biodegradable in fresh water. It is owned and managed by TÜV AUSTRIA OKcert.

Certified products will biodegrade in soil and break down within a timeframe that depends mainly on their function.

Please note: certification is not a licence to dispose of waste in the natural environment.

OK biodegradable MARINE

This logo indicates that the product is certified to be biodegradable in seawater. It is owned and managed by TÜV AUSTRIA OKcert.

Certified products will biodegrade in soil and break down within a timeframe that depends mainly on their function.

Please note: certification is not a licence to dispose of waste in the natural environment.

OK recycled

Owned and managed by TÜV AUSTRIA, this logo indicates that the certified product contains – on average – the stated percentage of recycled materials.

Based on the mass balance approach, the actual percentage may vary from one item to another, but the percentage has been verified across the entire production process.


OK biobased

Owned and managed by TÜV AUSTRIA OKcert, this logo indicates that the certified product contains the percentage shown (represented by a range) of "young" carbon derived from biomass (as opposed to "old" carbon derived from petroleum). 
Based on a measurement method (C14), the certified percentage is present in every item.

Please note: Biobased does not mean biodegradable or compostable.

OK renewable

Developed in collaboration with the Renewable Carbon Initiative, owned and managed by TÜV AUSTRIA OKcert, this logo indicates that the certified product contains, on average, the stated percentage (represented by a range) of carbon from renewable sources – biomass, recycling or CO₂ capture – as opposed to fossil resources such as oil...

Combining underlying certificates based on laboratory measurements and mass balance, the actual percentage may vary from one item to another, but it has been verified throughout the entire production process.


NEN biobased %

This logo indicates that the product contains a proportion of bio-based material.

Developed in collaboration with NEN (Netherlands Standardization Institute), which owns it, TÜV AUSTRIA OKcert is responsible for the assessment and certification of this conformity mark.

As the certification is based on laboratory analyses, the product contains the stated proportion of bio-based material.

In European Countries

Industrially Compostable (UK)

This logo indicates that the product bearing it is certified as compostable in an industrial composting facility (door-to-door collection or drop-off point) in the United Kingdom.
Owned by REAL, TÜV AUSTRIA OKcert is responsible for assessment and certification.

Note

  1. This is not a sorting instruction. 
    Always check with your local waste collection authority. 
  2. A product certified for industrial composting will not necessarily break down when composted at home.

More about the difference between home and industrial composting

Home Compostable 
(UK)

This logo indicates that the product is certified as home-compostable.
Owned by REAL, TÜV AUSTRIA OKcert is responsible for assessment and certification.


Note

  1. home composting does not mean simply dumping your organic waste at the bottom of your garden.
  2. Home compositng does require (a little) effort.
  3. A product certified for industrial composting will not necessarily break down when composted at home.

Find out more about home composting 

CIC 
(Italy)

This logo, owned by the Consorzio Italiano Compostator (CIC), certifies that the products bearing it have been tested under real conditions in Italian composting facilities.

Prior to these real-world tests, the products must be certified according to the OK compost INDUSTRIAL or Seedling logo (by TÜV AUSTRIA OKcert).

Cré 
(Ireland)

This logo, owned by the Composting and Anaerobic Digestion Association of Ireland (Cré, which is the Irish word for 'soil'), certifies that the products bearing it have been tested under real conditions in Italian composting facilities.

Prior to these real-world tests, the products must be certified according to the OK compost INDUSTRIAL or Seedling logo (by TÜV AUSTRIA OKcert).

In USA

BPI Industrial

US compliance mark, owned by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), and based on the ASTM D6400 standard, which is very similar to the EN 13432 standard.

See the differences between EN 13432 & ASTM D6400

BPI Industrial & Home

US version for home composting, owned by the 
Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI)


To be certified as home-compostable, products must also be composted in an industrial setting. Hence the label covering both environments

In Australia

Industrially compostable

Australian version of the Seedling logo, owned by the  Australasian Bioplastics Association.

Home compostable

Australian home compostable logo, owned by the  Australasian Bioplastics Association.

Biodegradable in the soil

Australian logo for biodegradation in the soil, owned by the  Australasian Bioplastics Association.